MIAMI – Ken Griffey Jr. passed Lou Gehrig on the career home run list with a go-ahead, three-run drive in the seventh inning that helped the Cincinnati Reds beat the Florida Marlins 9-7 Monday.

Griffey’s home run was his 13th this season and the 494th of his career, moving him into sole possession of 20th place.

Sean Casey homered twice and raised his major league-leading average to .394. He scored four runs and had three RBIs for Cincinnati, which overcame a 5-0 deficit and stopped Florida’s five-game winning streak. Barry Larkin and Wily Mo Pena also homered.

Jeff Conine went 4-for-4, Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo had three hits each and Mike Lowell had three RBIs for the Marlins, who lost for only the third time in their last 12 games.

John Riedling (4-0) got the win, despite walking four while retiring just three batters. Danny Graves pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save in 28 chances.

Cincinnati trailed by five runs after two innings before getting to Marlins starter Tommy Phelps, who limited Cincinnati to one hit over seven innings in his previous outing.

In the third, Phelps issued consecutive walks to Reds starter Todd Van Poppel and Ryan Freel. Later that inning, Casey hit a three-run homer, pulling Cincinnati to 5-3.

Pena homered leading off the fourth and the Reds, who overcame a 4-0 deficit at Pittsburgh on April 24, went ahead in the fifth on back-to-back homers by Larkin and Casey. Phelps allowed six hits in five innings – four of them were homers.

Van Poppel allowed 10 hits over five innings yet left with a 6-5 lead. His bullpen – and catcher Jason LaRue – couldn’t keep it.

In the sixth, Castillo drew a one-out walk and stole second, going to third on the play easily because LaRue’s throw sailed into center field – an error charged to him though neither Larkin nor second baseman D’Angelo Jimenez covered the base.

Pierre walked and stole second. This time, LaRue’s throw bounced away from Jimenez for another error, allowing Castillo to score and letting Pierre advance to third. He scored on Lowell’s single for a 7-6 lead.

Cincinnati came right back, getting three in the seventh off Justin Wayne (3-2), who hadn’t allowed a run in his previous four outings. Larkin singled with one out, Casey walked and Griffey followed with the go-ahead homer to right-center.

Florida had the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh, but Todd Jones worked out of the jam. Ramon Castro, who lowered his average to .135 with an 0-for-4 day, struck out, as did pinch-hitter Lenny Harris. Castillo grounded into a fielders’ choice, ending the inning. Florida stranded two more runners in the eighth.

The Marlins, who have outscored teams 44-19 in the first inning this season,got off to another quick start, taking a 4-0 lead after the opening frame.

Castillo singled, Pierre doubled and both scored on Lowell’s double. Two batters later, Lowell scored on a Conine double, and Conine later scored on Alex Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly. The Marlins went up 5-0 in the second, when Pierre scored on a wild pitch.

Notes: Florida pitchers have given up nine homers in two games; the staff had allowed an average of 0.96 per game before those contests. … Pierre hadn’t hit a double in 45 at-bats before Monday; he had two in the first two innings off Van Poppel. … Gametime temperature was 91 degrees; factor in the 55 percent humidity and the heat index was 99. … Cincinnati, 18-11 in May, had its best month since September 2000.

AP-ES-05-31-04 1914EDT